Tag Archives: mysterious objects

Often SCUBA divers are asked why on earth they would put themselves into such a hostile environment where even a slight mistake could mean their demise. Non divers just don’t get it, and won’t get it until they actually put on some fins and a tank and get wet. But for those of us who have had the privilege of getting our diving certifications, there is never a question. Diving in the ocean is amazing because, quite simply, the ocean is amazing. There are so many things for you to see. Here are the 5 most interesting…

Ancient Submerged Cities
Ever since Plato first wrote about Atlantis in 359 BC, modern humans have had a fascination with the idea of cities being lost in the ocean. While there still hasn’t been any definitive proof of the existence of that particular legendary metropolis, there have been, all over the globe, discoveries of many other cities that have been overtaken by the sea. Some notable examples are in Port Royal, Jamaica, Yonaguni-Jima, Japan, Dwarka in the Gulf of Cambay, India, Lion City of Quiandao Lake, China, and Cleopatra’s Palace in Alexandria, Egypt.

Ship and Plane and Other Wrecks
There is probably nothing more intriguing as a diver than penetrating a shipwreck, especially one that is fully intact and still holds a cache of cargo. Of course in order to safely dive a shipwreck, you need to be specially certified. However, many shipwreck dive sites can be enjoyed by novice divers at a safe distance. Of the world’s best shipwrecks, possibly the SS Thistlegrom is the most interesting because of the amount of still-intact cargo in its holds. But there are more than just shipwrecks to explore. World War Two was hell on earth, but it provided some of the best diving with its lost planes, tanks, submarines, even bombs and even old motorcycles can be spotted.

Rare Sea Life
Probably the most abundant visual in the ocean, besides the geology, is the sea life. The oceans are teeming with critters ranging from microscopic to megalithic. Divers regularly get to see fish of all kinds. Coral and kelp. Crabs and clams. Even the most pedestrian animal can be fun to look at. But then there are the rare sightings that can get a diver’s heart pumping. They say that whale sharks are the holy grail of diving. I think it would be amazing to encounter one in the ocean. What about even rarer animals? Imagine seeing a giant squid, or a pod of Omura’s whales, or a frilled shark? You can do that SCUBA diving.

Mysterious Objects
in the summer of 2011 a group of Swedish treasure hunters found something very unusual in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland. On sonar it looked remarkably similar to Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon. By now you surely have seen the images and heard the story. Intriguing aspects were an apparent staircase and a gun turret. Despite the wild speculation that it might be an alien spacecraft, scientists think it is simply a geologic formation. There are many other mysterious objects on the ocean floor, some discovered and some undiscovered, just waiting for you to explore.

Underwater Museums and Monuments
Off the coast of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, under the ocean waves, are dozens of people standing in quiet repose. No, they aren’t drowning victims. They are the casts of real people made into statues and placed there on purpose by artist Jason deCaires Taylor. It is Cancun’s Underwater Museum, and it is one of many such places around the world. There’s the Amphitrite statue off Grand Cayman, Guardian of the Reef statue off Grand Cayman, Ocean Atlas off New Providence, Bahamas, Christ of the Abyss off the Italian Riviera, Portofino, Christ of the Abyss off Key Largo, Florida, and the Underwater grotto, Bohol, Philippines to name a few.